Minutes into my stay at the Haeinsa Temple in Mount Gaya, South Korea, I knew one thing for certain - I was wearing the wrong shoes.

Upon arrival, the monks and nuns had toured us around the temple, showing us the various buildings both inside and out. Each time we entered a new building, we had to remove our shoes and place them neatly by the door. That's when I noticed that all the smart monks were wearing slip-ons.

Participating in a Temple Stay program provides a glimpse into the fascinating religion of Korean-style Zen Buddhism and is one of the most unique cultural experiences you can have. Over the course of two days, you live the life of a Buddhist monk - eating vegetarian meals in silence, arising early, meditating and bowing hundreds of times.

After changing into brown robes, the Temple Stay group gathered in a classroom for training on the basics of Buddhist practice.

"In Korea, the practice of Buddhism is different from other countries," explained Domuji, our monk teacher. "It is engaged Buddhism. We seek to free ourselves from our affictions and find the inner Buddha that is within each of us."

Next, Domuji went through the basics of bowing, greeting in the temple and meditation.

"There are three acceptable ways to sit during meditation," he said, while demonstrating the lotus position. "No matter which one you choose, you will find that if you are comfortable with your knees, your back will hurt. If you are comfortable with your back, your knees will hurt. The key to the practice is to empty your mind from unnecessary thoughts and maintain a positive mind - even if something hurts."

We had some time after the classroom session to walk around the temple and the surrounding woodland and meditate on our own. Just before dinner, we witnessed a fascinating drumming ceremony on a massive Taikostyle drum. It was played by one drummer using a figure eight pattern on the drumhead in a continuous roll of beats. Several of the younger monks took turns playing, spelling each other off so the rhythmic beating remained constant.

We ate dinner in silence and then visited the temple before going back to the classroom to have tea time with our monk teacher. This was an opportunity for us to get to know him better and ask questions. One of the members of our group wondered if a Temple Stay experience could have any lasting effect on a person's life.

Domuji's answer surprised me. It turns out he made the choice to become a monk after participating in a Temple Stay.

That night we slept on mats on the floor in dormstyle rooms and awoke at 3 a.m. to begin our day as Korean monks. We entered the temple with its three golden statues of Buddha and knelt on mats on the wooden floor with about 80 other monks. A monk in the middle with a deep baritone voice signalled the beginning of the morning ceremony and the monks began to chant and sing a hauntingly beautiful song and to methodically bow 108 times.

At about 4 a.m., Domuji led us away to another place in the temple for meditation.

"Noble silence is a way of having a conversation with yourself," he said. "It is time for you to experience the practice of looking inward."

While we meditated in the darkness, Domuji carefully circled the group while holding a long stick. If anyone drifted asleep, he tapped them on the shoulders with the stick. If their posture sagged, he placed the stick behind their back to cue them to sit up straighter.

After we pondered for what seemed a very long time, Domuji had each person go sit in front of the group while the others bowed before them.

"Try to see the inner Buddha inside each person," he advised. "If you can see each other and respect each other as Buddha, you are already in paradise."

Since returning home, I have thought about the wisdom of Domuji's words and his quiet lessons still resonate with me. That said, after only one day, I was certain I wasn't cut out to be a Buddhist monk - no matter what kind of shoes I was wearing.

If You Go:

Several Korean temples offer Englishspeaking Temple Stay programs. Rates average about $60 per person for adults including meals. Some temples have crafts and activity programs for families and children.